Running i386 application in a debian 7 running amd64 architecture and the skype example

For instance, Skype that they themselves entitled multi-arch does not install correctly on debian amd64 if i386 arch is not enabled. This a quick « how to » make skype runs.

First check your main architecture:

 $ dpkg --print-architecture
 amd64

Display other accepted architecture:

 $ dpkg --print-foreign-architectures
 (it should display nothing)

Add the i386 architecture

 $ dpkg --add-architecture i386

now you can see the :i386 packages in your apt-get search

Download the .deb of the skype application

ok you know where to go…

Install GDebi

This application is particularly useful when you have a .deb that have lots of missing dependencies. it will install everything at once.

 $ apt-get install gdebi

Run GDebi on the .deb file

it will install the package and the dependencies

Enjoy !

Another method was to install the ia32lib that provides a bridge from 32bits to 64bits arch but it won’t help regarding the architecture dependies warning.